Fig. 3: Semaphorin-3F and Plexin-A3 are expressed along the migratory route of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in human fetuses. | Genetics in Medicine

Fig. 3: Semaphorin-3F and Plexin-A3 are expressed along the migratory route of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in human fetuses.

From: Loss-of-function variants in SEMA3F and PLXNA3 encoding semaphorin-3F and its receptor plexin-A3 respectively cause idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Fig. 3

Fluorescent immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to assess SEMA3F and PLXNA3 expression both in the nasal region (a) and at the nasal/forebrain junction (i) during the early fetal development. (b–d) Representative immunostaining for GnRH, Peripherin, and Plexin-A3 on sagittal sections of a GW7.5 human fetus. (e–h) Magnification of the boxed area in (b), revealing that PLXNA3 is found in the peripherin-positive olfactory/vomeronasal scaffold, as well as in GnRH neurons (arrows) during their migration through the nasal compartment. (j–l) Representative pictures of immunolabelings for GnRH, PLXNA3, and SEMA3F on coronal sections of a GW10.5 human fetus. (m–p) Magnification of the boxed area in (j). The olfactory and vomeronasal/terminal nerves still show immunoreactivity for PLXNA3 at the nose/forebrain junction. SEMA3F is strongly expressed in this region and detected along the PLXNA3-positive nerves. GnRH neurons migrating inside the forebrain do not longer express PLXNA3. fb forebrain; ob olfactory bulbs, oe olfactory epithelium, on olfactory nerves, vnn/tn vomeronasal/terminal nerves. Scale bars: (b,j) = 500 µm; (e,m) = 10 µm.

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